Value and Opportunity
Electrified ammonia production opens an array of possible benefits to agricultural producers and their surrounding communities, from reducing carbon dioxide emissions to enabling energy storage for renewable resources. Local production of ammonia for fertilizer can also protect producers against international supply chain volatility and, at the same time, boost local economic development. To achieve the significant carbon dioxide reductions that make this technology attractive to a variety of stakeholders, the ammonia must be produced with predominantly zero carbon electricity. As with any emerging-stage technology, education and greater public understanding are essential.
The Beneficial Electrification League plans to:
- Lay the groundwork for a consortium of utility and agricultural stakeholders interested in pursuing ammonia projects and research
- Solicit business case studies and engage agricultural producers, policymakers, and the electricity sector in a conversation about electrifying ammonia production
- Develop electrify research and communications materials about electrifying ammonia production
Producing ammonia using electricity is a tremendous opportunity for rural energy stakeholders.
Fast Facts
- Russia produces about 25% of the world's nitrogen fertilizer, but Russia’s war in Ukraine has significantly disrupted the market. In 2022 the cost of fertilizer rose to nearly three times what it was before the war. The cost of natural gas, key to fertilizer production, is also soaring
- A 1 percent increase in fertilizer prices, which have climbed recently on the surge in natural gas prices, boosts food commodity prices by 0.45 percent (Source: International Monetary Fund)
- The global production of fertilizers is responsible for around 1.4% of annual carbon dioxide emissions, and fertilizer use is a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions
Related Articles and Reports
The Breakthrough Potential of Green Ammonia
High-Profile Research Initiative Explores How Electrifying Ammonia Production Can Enable Cooperatives to Decarbonize Their Grids and Agriculture.
From Fertilizer to Fuel: Can ‘Green’ Ammonia Be a Climate Fix?
Ammonia has been widely used as a fertilizer for the last century. Now, using renewable energy and a new method for making ammonia, researchers and entrepreneurs believe “green” ammonia can become a significant clean fuel source for generating electricity and powering ships.
Researchers: Midwest Could be Center of a 'Green Ammonia' Revolution
Producing ammonia using wind or solar energy is carbon-free, providing a greener alternative to current fossil fuel-based methods responsible for around 1.8% of global carbon emissions, according to the Royal Society of London.
How Zero-Carbon Ammonia Reduces Costs
Runestone Electric and Great River Energy work with University of Minnesota researchers on the use of portable, ammonia-fueled engines to defer costs.
Everything You Need to Know About Green Ammonia
Feeding and fueling a greener future: everything you need to know about green ammonia.